This movie was an unexpected pleasure. It has a tongue in cheek, operatic character -- exaggerated and stagy. It had a few too many sword fighting scenes, which I found boring, but the rest was riveting, visually lush, full of little surprises.
I particularly enjoyed the sound track, which was a bit over the top, but somehow right on time after time. It was clearly composed scene by scene for the action, not just tacked on as decoration. It kept changing the themes and orchestration so it always a delight. There were a few times it was so pleasing I found my attention drifting away from the action.
The foppish King Louis XIV was a hoot. He was simultaneously vain, horny, pathetic, spoiled, fearful, believable and silly. Usually, such a character is played in a two dimensional way, strictly for laughs.
The characters and costumes were a treat for the eye.
I particularly enjoyed the sound track, which was a bit over the top, but somehow right on time after time. It was clearly composed scene by scene for the action, not just tacked on as decoration. It kept changing the themes and orchestration so it always a delight. There were a few times it was so pleasing I found my attention drifting away from the action.
The foppish King Louis XIV was a hoot. He was simultaneously vain, horny, pathetic, spoiled, fearful, believable and silly. Usually, such a character is played in a two dimensional way, strictly for laughs.
The characters and costumes were a treat for the eye.